Kisumu Yoder's: So Many Emotions.............

CHANGE...

"Unless you are prepared to give up something valuable you will never be able to truly change at all, because you'll be forever in the control of things you can't give up."

"Life is about change. Sometimes its painful. Sometimes its beautiful. But most of the time its both."

"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore."

It feels like there are so many changes coming and so many emotions affected... but God is good and giving strength as we take a day at a time.

Last weekend was a special time for our family. We went with Tommy's family, and Janette and LouAnn, two of Marlin's daughters, to Rondo Retreat in the Kakamega rain forest. Its a bumpy ride of about an hour and 40 minutes. As we approached Rondo it poured down rain and we almost couldn't see to drive! But thankfully the rain mostly ceased when we arrived and we were able to get to our cabins without getting soaked. Rondo is a beautiful, relaxing, clean place to be! All meals are served in style and elegance. They even brought tea and cake to our cabin for us soon after our arrival. The girls had their own little house to stay in... much to their delight. The rest of us had plenty of room to spread out in the big cabin. Vanessa and Sierra (two peas in a pod) had a room with 2 beds and a bath all to themselves. The name of the room was "Funny Birds". Pretty fitting! :) We spent our time visiting, playing games, reading, singing in the chapel, walking through the rain forest,etc. It was SO special to be with Tommy's before they head back to America. Their family feels like kindred spirits and we have learned so much from them since we arrived in Kenya.

A week ago today Linnford and Kay Bontrager arrived in Kisumu! We are very happy to have them here and they have been a big blessing already. Kay reminds me so much of my dear aunt Esther Meissen! :) Linnfords plan to fill in for Tommy's over the time that Gerold's are in language class. So I think they will be here for 2 months or so.

On Tues. Wayne spent time visiting with Wellington, one of our older members who has been sick. He also helped Morris' mother plant in her shamba for a while. Wayne was sore for a while after that! :) He was served a meal of ugali and scrambled eggs and declared it to be very good! Its interesting to watch the plowing and planting around here these days. Last Sunday during I.C. I was watching the neighbors plow with 6 cows that were yoked together. It looked like very hard work for the cows. Eventually one of the cows became stubborn and just laid down. It caused a tangled mess with the yokes, etc. They finally got things untangled and then the cow got up and ran away and they couldn't catch him for anything! So they ended up plowing with only 4 cows.

Wednesday we went for Bible study at widow Helen's house. She lives in a very tiny mud hut and so for lack of space we sat outside under a big tree... much to my relief! It was so pleasant out there and appeared for a while like it might rain but it didn't... thankfully. We were served nyoyo for the third week in a row.

Wayne was out visiting again Thursday and did an Instruction class interview with a nice young man named Amani. Please pray that he could be faithful! Thursday eve. was a special time for the school and all of us. They presented their year end program and did a superb job! We appreciate our teachers, Charity and Carolyn, and all the work they put into this. Also their music teacher, Marji!! Our girls will really miss her music classes. We had a nice snack afterwards which we all enjoyed. There was one song that stood out to a lot of us that eve titled, "A tiny seed." We were challenged with the thought that we do the planting but God is the one who gives the increase. So fitting in the work of the Kingdom here in Kenya!

Friday was a VERY SPECIAL day here at our house! Guess who came to see us!! None other than Grampa and Gramma Yoder!! We almost had to pinch ourselves to make us believe it was true! They came from Nakuru with Joe Fisher and Kore Beachy who needed to do food drops in the Kisumu area. Wayne was at a Bishop's meeting in Kericho when they arrived but he was home by 3:00 in the afternoon so he didn't miss out on too much. Dad and Mom only stayed for a day and a night but we have hopes of seeing more of them before their departure for America. Mom and I and Bradlyn visited school in the afternoon and got in on a little party they were having in honor of Tommy's children and their last day of school. Kore and Joe joined us for a supper of Japanese chicken and rice. In the eve. we sat out on the lane for a while and watched the volleyball game. It was a good opportunity for Dads to meet some of the rest of our compound family. The next day was spent relaxing and visiting as well as shopping at the Muslim shops, the lesso shop, and Nakumatt. We have been SO blessed with support from family and friends since our arrival here in Kenya!

Yesterday was a very full and long day... but a good one! We had council meeting in the morning in the place of Sunday school. Most of the testimonies were clear but we're very troubled by one member who feels like the brother she has a problem with is lying and has a "plank" in his eye while she has something small in hers! Sigh... how do we help this sad situation? The brother seems to have a clear testimony and is not throwing accusations at her but still... what if we're missing something? What is truth? God, we need wisdom!! After church we were invited for lunch at the home of one of the widows from Kajulu named Jennifer. Her family is good friends of Marlins family... so there was a good sized crowd there with all of Marlins, Carolyn, and us. The road to her house took us through countryside that we hadn't seen yet. Its very beautiful there at the foot of the mountain but the roads were some of the worst we've seen since we came! We were served the whole nine yards!! Ugali, beef, chicken, chapatis, potatoes, rice, beans, cabbage, and sukumu! Oh it was SO good!! While we were there a rain storm came up and it poured!! I was worried about getting back down the hill over that awful road, but we made it! After lunch Jennifer's family of 5 girls and a boy joined us in the house and sang some beautiful Luo songs for us. They can sing very well!! We all sang together for a while too and it makes my day when I realize that we are starting to memorize some of these Luo words and don't always need a book! Then they all made a little speech in honor of Marlin's family who will be leaving. Its obviously hard on them to see them go! They wanted to hear the new Bishop and his wife speak so we both talked a bit. Something was mentioned about me needing to be "mama" to 5 churches! Have mercy on me!! It makes me tired to think of it!! Please pray for us in the huge responsibility that has been placed on us!! We arrived home around 5:45 and immediately needed to get ready for Tommy's farewell which was scheduled at Joseph's at 7. Wayne stayed and came home with Marlin, Lavina, and Lavon about a half hour after we did. They went to visit old mama Perez, a sister from the Kajulu church that is not in good health. She seems to be near death, but she declares she will not go before Marlins leave the beginning of June. Her house is right at the foot of the mountain and has awesome views. We had an interesting but "tear jerking" time at the farewell last evening. The youth sang some beautiful Swahili songs for us led by Mark Beachy. A good part of the eve. was spent looking at pictures and videos of the last 10 years of compound life here in Kisumu. It brought lots of memories for Tommy's and much laughter! :) We saw pictures of Aaron Peachey's, Ivans, Merles, John Glicks, Sam Kauffmans, Marty Benders, Hosea's, Jonathan Martins, and more... it was great!!!! :) Then came the tear jerking part when people shared their thoughts with Tommy's. Also Tommy shared his feelings for each brother here in the compound. And Marji blessed all the ladies. It was touching... Wayne told Tommy that he feels like the shade of a big tree is being taken from us. And that describes my feelings exactly. But I guess sometimes God moves on the "big trees" so that we smaller ones will grow and mature. I don't need to tell you how hard this is on all of us but at the same time we are ready and waiting with open arms to welcome Joe and Glenda... my own dear sister here this week!! I can't believe this is happening! Thanks to our church at home for being willing to release them. We plan to leave for Nairobi at 10:00 in the morning with Tommy's. We look forward to eating lunch in Nakuru with Tony's and Dads on our way out and then continue on our journey. God bless each of you and thanks a million for your support and prayers! Clara

Rondo here we come!

The singing in this octagon chapel was incredible!

Drummer boys!

Bird of Paradise flower

Accident on the way home, fortunately it was not gas. It smelled like diesel fuel.

Plowing!!

This was in the rainstorm on the way into Rondo

Tommy's last Pastors Meeting (For now..:))

Bishop giving Tommy a "return" charge

Planting ..

Brad painting his barn. He did a good job!

Sorry, Charity.. :)!

Bible study bound..

Who needs an excavator to dig a septic system!

Kenya Christian Academy 2015-2016

Bishops Meeting and Financial Managers Meeting at Kericho. (l to r: Freeman Beiler, Marlin Stoltzfus, Marlin Yoder, Jake Gingerich, Marcus Burkholder)